How to Make your Hair Grow Faster

Every woman on this earth wants to have beautiful long hair. But the problem is not all of them have long shiny hair. Your genetics play a big role in determining what would be the length of your hair and how fast your hair grows! Not only genes, your diet and other lifestyle habits too play an important role in making your hair grow faster and longer. While you cannot alter your genes, you can certainly manage to have healthy and balanced diet, take proper hair care and also adopt certain herbal home remedies to make your hair grow. We will discuss how to grow hair faster with all these measures but before that let’s know how fast does hair grow and what’s their growth pattern!

How fast does Hair Grow?

Our hair grows at a rate of about 1.25 centimetres or 0.5 inches per month. This means, on an average, hair grows about 15 centimetres or 6 inches per year. However, this is true only when you take care of your diet and hair properly.

Our hair grows in three stages, known as anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. All the strand of hair are at their own stage of development. Once their growth cycle is complete, it starts again and a new hair strand begins to form.

In the first phase, the anagen phase, new hair grows in the hair bulb. Due to cell division, all the new hair grow as the new cells push the hair forward and help it grow longer. A hair strand, in normal healthy conditions, lasts for about 2 to 6 years. The longer your hair stays in this anagen phase, the longer it will grow. At any given time, about 80-85% of hair are in this phase, growing continuously.

In the second phase, the catagen phase, the cell division stops and thus stops the hair growth.  During this phase that lasts for about two weeks, the hair follicle shrinks and gradually cuts off from its nourishing blood supply source.

In the final phase, the telogen phase, hair follicles ‘rest’ or remain dormant for anywhere between 1–4 months.

At some point of time, these hair follicles start growing again, when the hair base breaks free from the root and the hair is shed. Within two week’s time, new hair shaft begin to emerge.

From all the above discussion on how fast does hair grow, we can conclude that we need our hair to stay for longer in the first phase, the anagen phase, if we want it to grow longer and faster! There are certain ways to do so, ways to make your hair grow! Here are they!

How to Grow Hair Faster?

Here are the ways to make your hair grow faster! But remember, hair has its pace of growing, you can just facilitate your hair grow fast which means at the maximum rate it can grow. This, I assume is clear from the above section where we talked about how does hair grow and how fast does it grow! If not, please read it again and be patient with your hair growth. It will obviously not grow in a day or a week or even a month. But if you patiently follow the below tips to grow hair fast, you may end up having beautiful long strands, in say, a few months!

Have Proper Diet to Make your Hair Grow Faster

A diet which is rich in protein and essential vitamins and minerals, has a crucial role to play in your hair growth pace. Have such foods that have lots of vitamins A, B, C, and E, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and selenium. Vitamin B-complex, in particular, is extremely important for making your hair grow faster. Here are some foods that you may like to include in your diet to grow hair faster.

Eggs

Eggs are a good source of protein and know what! Hair is mainly composed of protein. So, don’t shy away from that humble egg white. It gives you the very building block of the hair- the protein. And yes, do not throw away the egg yolk because it too contains something that helps grow hair faster. It has biotin in it. Yes, the same biotin that you had thought of getting from supplement to help grow your hair faster.

Salmon and Other Foods rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Salmon and nuts like walnuts have loads of these omega 3 fatty acids. So, you definitely need to eat them if you want your hair to grow fast because hair is also made up of these types of fatty acids.

Oysters and Other Foods rich in Zinc

Because you need zinc. Deficiency of zinc in your body would lead to dry and itchy scalp that would not let your hair grow. In fact, lack of zinc leads to hair loss too. So, have oysters or other foods rich in zinc to facilitate preventing hair loss so that your hair growth regime is not disturbed. Other than an oyster which is the richest source of zinc, you can have red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, wholegrains, and such vegetables as mushroom, spinach, broccoli and kale.

Sweet Potatoes and Other Foods rich in Vitamin A

Vitamin A help make your hair grow faster by regulating the oil in your scalp so that your hair doesn’t get dry and fall off after damaging themselves. So, have sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, squash, lettuce, dried apricots, melon, sweet red peppers, mangoes etc. To have your share of vitamin A.

Iron rich Foods

Iron deficiency leads to hair loss. On the other hand, sufficient iron in your blood ensures proper supply of oxygenated blood and other nutrients to your hair follicles. Good nutrition to your hair roots mean longer life and proper hair growth. So have, such iron rich foods as oysters and other mollusks, liver, squash, pumpkin seeds, nuts, beef, lamb, beans, pulses, whole grains, dark leafy greens and the delicious dark chocolates.

Foods rich in B Vitamins

The whole ‘family’ of B vitamins make your hair grow fast. Vitamin B5 processes the fatty acids that are essential to keep your hair from getting dull and damaged. Vitamins B7 and B12, on the other hand, process proteins, of which your hair is made up of. Vitamin B9 is required for the growth of cells that would determine for how longer your hair remain in the first phase of hair growth. Remember, the more your hair is in this phase, the longer they will grow.  So, have mushrooms, oily fish like trout, shellfish, mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna, crab, avocados, cheese, eggs, lean pork, beef, chicken, turkey, sunflower seeds, cereals, meat, liver, dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, citrus fruits, beans, lentils, okra, Brussels sprouts etc. In short, have all those foods that you have been hearing of being healthy since ages.

Vitamin E rich Foods

Vitamin E is vital in keeping your scalp healthy. It promotes blood flow to your scalp so that your hair grows faster. Have almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, hazel nuts, pine nuts avocado, broccoli, parsley, papaya, olives, and plant oils such as hemp-seed oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil and safflower oil. All these will give you your share of vitamin E that’s needed to keep your skin and scalp healthy for better hair growth.

Massage your Scalp to make Hair Grow Faster

Dry massage of your scalp, wet massage while washing your hair or oil massage- any of these can be good for faster hair growth. When you massage your scalp, you help enhance blood flow to your scalp. This stimulates your hair follicles and helps them in their function of hair growth.

How to massage your scalp to make your hair grow faster?

You can either give yourself a dry massage or a wet massage. But always do this after washing and cleaning your hair. This is essential as you need to ensure that no residue of any hair product is there on your scalp. Sometimes, people prefer to massage hair while applying conditioner to the hair after washing it with shampoo and rinsing the hair properly with water. That’s all right too. However, when you massage while your hair is still wet, ensure to detangle your hair. Here are the steps to massage your scalp for growing hair faster.

• Spread open all your fingers and place the fingertips on your scalp. Don’t use nails to massage as they may lead to breakage of hair strands.
• Extend and contract your fingertips all around your scalp.
• Always massage using slow, gentle movements.
• You may move your fingertips in circular strokes too.
• When you are doing a dry scalp massage, you may like to add 2-3 drops of some essential oils to your fingertips such as rosemary oil, lavender or thyme oil. They will give moisture to the dry scalp and also help increase blood circulation.

Hot Oil Massage for Faster Hair Growth

While dry and wet massage are suffice to increase the blood circulation of your scalp, when you give an oil massage or a hot oil massage to your scalp, you also condition your hair deeply to pamper it with perfect moisturization to prevent dry itchy scalp. It also relieves stress that you get on daily basis. Be aware that stress hampers proper circulation and also obstructs hair growth.

While you may gently massage your scalp daily while wetting your hair in shower or when it is dry, you can give a hot oil massage to your hair once or twice a week and see them grow happily.

How to do hot oil massage to make your hair grow faster?

Get this:

• Any oil for head massage. Choose from the below list:

• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Castor Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Almond Oil
• Emu Oil
• Grapeseed Oil

Do this:

• Take 2-4 tbsp of your choice of oil in a bowl.
• Now heat it a little too warms it up.
• The best way to heat oil for scalp massage is to place the bowl in some hot water for some time. This will warm it to the right temperature.
• Now dip your fingertips in the bowl having warm oil.
• Apply this to an area of your scalp.
• Repeat this for the whole scalp till you get oil all over it.
• Now gently rub your scalp with your finger tips giving gentle circular strokes all over your scalp. Never be too harsh on your scalp. Do massage gently.
• Keep on massaging your scalp for 4-5 minutes.
• Now take some warm oil on to your palms and rub it on your hair strands from where the scalp ends till the end of your hair.
• Now, you have two options. Either you can wrap your hair with warm wet towel for half an hour or leave the oil onto your scalp and hair overnight.
• After that wash your hair with a mild shampoo and conditioner. Always rinse your hair properly to wash out all the residue of any hair product.

Do this once or twice a week. If you have oily scalp, do it only once a week and also do not leave the oil overnight on your scalp. Wash it off after half an hour of massaging.

You may also use essential oils for hair growth.

Essential oils to make your Hair Grow Faster

There are many essential oils that can enhance the effects of massage. They promote healthy hair and scalp, work to reduce dryness, prevent hair loss and ultimately help in faster growth of hair. While you can always add 3-5 drops of an essential oil to your shampoo, it is more beneficial to give massage to your scalp using these oils. You need to add few drops of an essential oil suitable for your type of hair, to carrier oil and then massage your scalp and hair gently with this oil. Here is a list of oil that you can use:

Essential oils for all types of hair (Normal, Dry and Oily hair):

• Lavender oil
• Rosemary oil

Essential oils for normal hair:

• Lemon Oil
• Geranium Oil
• Cedarwood Oil
• Thyme Oil
• Clary Sage Oil

Essential oils for dry hair:

• Sandalwood Oil
• Geranium Oil

Essential oils for oily hair:

• Lemon Oil
• Peppermint Oil
• Cypress Oil

How to Massage with Essential Oils to Make grow Hair Fast?

Get this:

• Essential oil of your choice according to hair type (choose from the above lists)- 2-5 drops
• Carrier oil (Coconut/Jojoba/Almond/Sesame/Olive/ Borage oil)- 2-4 tbsp

Do this:

• Add essential oil to the carrier oil and mix well.
• Now apply this oil using your finger tips all over your scalp.
• Massage your scalp gently in circular strokes for 4-5 minutes.
• Leave the oil on scalp for about 30 minutes to overnight.
• Wash off with shampoo and conditioner. Rinse your hair well.
• Repeat once or twice a week.

Use Egg Mask to Make your Hair Grow Faster

Eggs are immensely beneficial for hair growth and why not! It has high class protein in its white and biotin in its yolk- the two very important components that can make your hair grow faster. Eggs also have iron, sulfur, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium, all important nutrients that can make your hair healthier, longer and shinier. Now this recipe of egg mask has three ingredients- the egg, the oil and the mustard powder. Oil gives deep conditioning to your hair and mustard powder helps increase blood circulation with its heat. If you are, however, allergic to mustard or cannot handle the heat on your scalp, exclude it from your egg mask and simply apply egg with oil. Here’s the recipe.

Get this:

• Egg- 1
• Oil (olive/ coconut/ sweet almond/ jojoba/ bgrapeseed oil)- 2-3 tbsp
• Mustard powder (optional)- 1 tbsp
• Warm water- 2-3 tbsp

Do this:

• Add the mustard powder (if using) to the warm water to make a paste.
• Break the egg and slightly beat it, just to mix the white and the yolk.
• Add the oil of your choice and the mustard powder paste to the egg and mix well.
• Apply this egg mask to your scalp. Apply just to the roots of the hair and not on the hair.
• If needed, you can apply oil to your hair strands but not the mask, especially when hyou have added mustard powder to this.
• Now leave this mask on your scalp for 3-5 minutes or lesser if you cannot stand the heat produced by the mustard powder.
• Now wash off this mask, first with water and then with shampoo and water.
• Do this only once in 7-10 days and not more than once a week.
• You will need to apply this egg mask continuously for 6-7 weeks before you could see any change in the length of your hair. Be patient as you know how fast does hair grow!

Change Lifestyle and Use Proper Hair Products to Grow Hair Faster

While diet and hair massage are two of the major things that are essential to make your hair grow, there are many do’s and don’ts that will also decide whether you can make your hair grow that faster! Here is a glimpse into what changes you should make in your lifestyle and your hair care routine in order to make your hair grow faster and healthier!

Lifestyle Changes

• Be Stress-free. Stress can play havoc with your normal hair growth cycle. So, remain calm and avoid stress. As it is, stress is not good for your overall health and not only for hair. Adopt stress management techniques like meditation, listening to music, pursuing hobbies etc. But don’t get yourself tensed at any cost if you want your hair grow faster.
• Check for diseases that hamper hair growth. Many medical conditions do not let your hair grow. So, check for them. Thyroid disorders, issues with bodily hormones, infections are some of the health conditions that are not good for hair growth. Keep them under control by consulting your doctor.
• Drink lots of water. It is essential to flush out all toxins from body. Toxins may affect anything, your hair growth too. If you drink enough water, your hair too will stay hydrated from inside.

Hair Care

• Choose your shampoo carefully. Those with sulfates and other chemicals May lead to hair loss.
• Choose and apply conditioners carefully. Not only shampoos, conditioners too may prevent your hair from growing faster. Avoid silicones in conditioners as they build up on your scalp and prevent hair from growing. Apply conditioners only on your hair strands and not to your scalp. They may block your hair follicles and prevent hair from growing.
• Do not wash your hair daily. Over washing your hair makes your hair weak. They break easily. Also, the natural oils of your scalp doesn’t get chance to make your hair naturally strong. Washing your hair 2-4 times a week is sufficient. If your hair becomes greasy and need a wash every day, use a very mild shampoo.
• Wash hair with cold water. Hot water can damage your hair. If it’s too cold a weather, make your water a little warm, just warm enough to cut off the chilling effect.
• Do not brush or comb hair when they are wet. Let them dry for some time and then comb them when they are damp and have dried about 80-90%. Wet hairs are prone to breakage.
• Be gentle when brushing your hair. Use soft bristle brushes and do not be very rude with your locks when combing or brushing them.
• Do not blow dry often. Heating makes your hair weak. So avoid using blow dryer and use them only when it’s not possible to avoid them.
• Trim your hair regularly. This can be every 6-8 weeks. This is essential to prevent split ends that promote breakage of hair.
• Protect your hair from harsh sun rays. Use scarves, hats, umbrellas, anything that suits you but do not let them expose to the bad ultra violet rays of the sun. Protecting your hair means giving them chance to grow faster.
• Replace cotton pillow covers for silk ones. Cotton causes more friction and lead to hair breakage.
• Avoid tightly braided hair when sleeping. Tight ponytails are also a no-no. They lead to breakage and prevent hair from growing. Tie your hair in loose ponytails using especially covered hair bands that do not promote hair breakage. You can even use silk scarves to tie your hair loosely when you go to sleep.